'''''Road Rovers''''' (1996-1997) was a short-lived Creator/KidsWB animated series (1 season, 13 episodes), which told the story of "The Road Rovers". They were (stop us if you think that you've [[TeenageMutantSamuraiWombats heard this one before]]) a group of ordinary animals who become [[PettingZooPeople anthropomorphic]] [[AnimalSuperheroes superheroes]] and use their special abilities and gadgets to [[TheyFightCrime fight crime]].

Specifically, the Rovers were a group of stray dogs who are [[HumanityEnsues temporarily turned humanlike]] by a mysterious scientist known as "TheMaster". They save the world from villains including General Parvo, who was trying to take over the world by turning dogs and other animals into monsters, while in their free time acting as the beloved pets of world leaders (such as Queen Elizabeth II and President Bill Clinton). The fact that the dogs were all pets of world dignitaries at least added an interesting twist, as they sometimes had to work in their 'civilian' identities to convince their owners not to go to war.

After more than ten years, ''Road Rovers'' was ''finally'' given a DVD release, as of February 11, 2015, much to the delight of longtime fans of the show during its' original run; like Hanna-Barbera's rough equivalent series, ''WesternAnimation/SwatKats'' (though that series predated ''Road Rovers'' by 4 years), it was released through Warner Home Video's "manufacture-on-demand" program, Warner Archive. ----!!Tropes:* AccidentalMisnaming: Colleen to Blitz.* TheAce: Hunter* ActionGirl: Colleen.* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: It somewhat resembles [[Creator/HannaBarbera Hanna-Barbera's]] ''WesternAnimation/SwatKats'', though there are obviously major differences; ironically, by the time ''Road Rovers'' premiered, Time Warner had merged with Turner Broadcasting and gained H-B.* AnimalSuperheroes* AndroclesLion: Save one wolf, [[spoiler: get a army of them as a DeusExMachina]].* AsideGlance: Colleen, so often that she borders on a {{Fourth Wall Observer}}.** Hunter does it too, usually when delivering one of his catch phrases.* BewareTheNiceOnes: Never make the Rovers mad. Especially not Hunter, Colleen, or Shag.* BoisterousBruiser: Exile* BrainyBrunette: Colleen has her moments of this. * TheCameo: "Take Me To Your Leader" ends with [[GeneralRipper Captain Zachary Storm]] sent away to an insane asylum for megalomaniacs. [[PinkyAndTheBrain The Brain]]'s voice is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxVasZV4Pbo&feature=player_detailpage#t=35s heard coming from a cell]], followed by a closing shot identical to the one at the end of every ''PinkyAndTheBrain'' episode, complete with {{Leitmotif}}.* CatchPhrase / RunningGag:-->'''Blitz:''' ''[insert statement involving his desire to bite the rumps of his enemies]''-->'''Exile:''' Don't be a weird boy.** More running gags involve Shag pointing weapons backwards. Subverted when he has it right to begin with and someone tells him to turn it around, which he blithely does.** And when they release their AxCrazy friend, Muzzle, on the bad guys with a shout of "Let's Muzzle 'em!" Cue GoryDiscretionShot.*** Eventually the Rovers get bored watching Muzzle constantly maul the bad guys and engage in other activities, like watching TV or [[ShoutOut playing poker]]. [[HammerSpace Where they]] ''[[HammerSpace get]]'' [[HammerSpace these props from is never explained.]]** Colleen pretending not to know Blitz's name and instead calling him other more amusing B names until the last episode.*** B names were the least of his worries. "Lord Stuffington Fluffypants", anyone?** "Yet Another Unexpected Twist!... Bummer."*** Hunter had a ''ton'' of catch phrases, the above is just one of them. Other's include "I would ''not'' have predicted this!" and "[X], Cool."** The show pretty much runs on running gags. Some more include Colleen saying completely random and nonsensical things when doing her martial arts, Exile completely butchering several idioms at once, and [[HuskyRusskie the Russian Exile]] complaining about people always [[IncrediblyLamePun "rushin'"]] him.** And then there's General Parvo...---> '''Parvo:''' ''[Coughing uncontrollably] Lozenge!''* CatsAreMean: The Groomer's uplifted cats are pretty nasty. [[spoiler:General Parvo is also an uplifted cat.]] * CloudCuckoolander: Many characters qualify for this, but Hunter and Colleen specifically stand out in this area.* CompetitiveBalance** FragileSpeedster: Subverted with Hunter; he's not as strong as Blitz or Exile, but he's sturdier than Colleen or Shag and runs faster than all of them put together.** GlassCannon: Colleen could use her martial arts to take down almost any opponent, but she was the smallest and least sturdy of the Rovers.** JackOfAllStats: Blitz.** LethalJokeCharacter: Shag definitely has his moments.** LightningBruiser: Muzzle is both very fast and very strong.** MightyGlacier: Exile.* DirtyCoward: Blitz, for laughs.* [[ManBitesMan Dog Bites Man]]: Blitz's speciality.* DogStereotype** DogsAreDumb is averted though, if anything it's more like "Dogs are little weird."*** Which is TruthInTelevision.* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The theme song is sung by the main cast.* DrivesLikeCrazy: Colleen.* ElaborateUndergroundBase* ExpositoryThemeTune: Tells us how the dogs all got here, tells us what all their names are, what their super powers are, where they are from, and their personality all at INCREDIBLY rapid speed. Seen [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwNipMSjmg8 here.]]* FamilyFriendlyFirearms: Extremely obvious in the second episode, where two attack helicopters are fitted with rocket pods. Guess what they shoot? ''Lasers.'' [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy Mildly]] subverted in episode 6 when three F/A-18/Su-25 lookalikes open fire on our heroes with regular machine guns. They're about as realistic as a potato in a root beer factory, but they're there.* FiveManBand: Enforced** TheHero - Hunter** TheLancer - Blitz** TheSmartGuy - Exile** TheBigGuy - Shag** TheChick - Colleen** SixthRanger - Muzzle* GratuitousGerman: Averted with Blitz, who most of the time just talks like TheAhnold, but the chancellor of Germany in one episode ordered his men, over the phone, to "stop the Blitzkrieg!".* GeniusBruiser: Exile is quite muscular AND skilled with mechanics.* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: It worked only once (and is said to be one of the factors behind the show's cancellation). While discussing [[{{Patronymic}} Russian names]] they used the example of "Sonov". Add that to the patronymic suffix "-ovich" and you'll see why that song got cut for later airings. See the video [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K46McMq9IF4&feature=channel_page here]]. To be fair, the dogs probably wouldn't see this as much of an insult, as they ''all'' are.** Colleen is interrogated by the enemy at one point, in an attempt to learn The Master's secrets, and instead all they get from her is a personal history, including an offhand remark of how she "flunked paper training, so watch your step", which could be considered a literal attempt at getting "crap" past the radar.*** Some of the more adult-oriented parts of the series' fandom have interpreted her comment during this same scene that she had a fondness for "squeaky-toys shaped like bananas" as being a radar-dodging moment as well.* HairyHammerspace: Shag.* {{Handwave}}* HermitGuru* HeroicComedicSociopath: Muzzle.** Also Hunter and Colleen in at least one episode.---> '''Hunter:''' Let's Muzzle 'em!---> '''Colleen:''' Why, that would be mean, sadistic, and cruel!---> '''Hunter:''' Is that a problem?---> '''Colleen:''' Nope. Works for me! ''(Hunter proceeds to release Muzzle on the enemy)''* HuskyRusskie: Exile, [[IncrediblyLamePun a husky]].* InsideJoke: In "Where Rovers Dare," it's not obvious until the map is shown in full at the end of the episode that [[spoiler: the three countries are named after three Disney bigwigs and the three countries together form Mickey Mouse's head]].* IntelligibleUnintelligible: Shag. Everyone can understand him except the viewer.* ItsPersonal* KickChick: Colleen usually specialized in kicking her opponents.* LampshadeHanging: Used liberally; arguably BetterThanABareBulb.* LeavingAudience: "Still a Few Bugs in the System": The wacko of the week talks about how bugs have lived for millions of years, and people leave as he talks about humans becoming bugs to allow for longer life.* LetsSplitUpGang: Hunter always sticks with Colleen and makes Blitz go with Exile...[[EpilepticTrees possibly to get rid of him]].* LovableCoward: Shag.* MadScientist* MandatoryTwistEnding: Expect Hunter to call out "Yet another unexpected twist! Bummer!" or "I would not have predicted this!" every single time there is a plot twist.* MeaningfulName: A rather disturbing one, too: General Parvo's name comes from Parvovirus, a serious disease that infects dogs and puppies.* MilesGloriosus: Blitz.* MilitaryMashupMachine* MistakenDeclarationOfLove: The Rover's plane is about to crash, and Blitz grabs the hand next to him and declares his love for Colleen. The hand was Exile's. His response?-->'''Exile:''' Please seek therapy.* TheMole: [[spoiler:Sport, but only because his master was held hostage by Parvo.]]* MostCommonCardGame* MultinationalTeam: The Rovers came from the US (Hunter), the UK (Colleen), Germany (Blitz), Switzerland (Shag), and Russia (Exile). The Space Rovers (who are ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin) had a member who may have been from Sweden. Fanfic writers saw characters added to the team from Egypt and Japan by various writers. The latter character is still occasionally featured in artwork on Website/FurAffinity, an anthropomorphic website which showcases art rated G-XXX. * NoFourthWall: Hunter especially, but everyone gets in on the act -- most frequently to complain about a running gag.* NonHumanSidekick: Muzzle, [[FurryConfusion sort of]].* ObliviousToLove: Hunter, it is hinted at throughout the series, but in the last episode it is made quite obvious that Colleen has a crush on Hunter. She asks him if he would like to go for walk on beach to which he responds with an enthusiastic "You bet!" [[spoiler: Cut to Hunter as a regular dog with Colleen holding his leash.]]--> '''Colleen:''' Not exactly what I had in mind.** In the episode ''The Dog That Knew Too Much'', Hunter points out that flirting while on missions is against the rules. He reciprocates somewhat toward the end of the episode, when Colleen is riding on his hover bike with him.*** He also invites her to chase/chew on tennis balls with him at the end of ''Hair of the Dog''.* OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: Well, for one, even humanoid canines can become werewolves (if that sounded like it didn't make any sense, don't think too much on it).** Considering that lycanthropy can typically act normally upon both humans and wolves, and that dogs are just mutant wolves, it's not much of a stretch that it could work normaly on mutant dogs.*** The Rovers, themselves could also be considered a type of lycanthrope.** Should perhaps be more noted for the fact that it made Colleen a better pilot.* PropheciesRhymeAllTheTime* RecycledINSPACE: The short-lived toy line (and dropped TV show) ''K9 Corps'', and BBC's ongoing ''Pet Squad'', took the show's premise and shoved it all the way to either side of the SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism.* RelaxOVision: Thankfully used almost all the time. We say "thankfully" because it's heavily implied that most of the Road Rover's enemies are killed in the most grisly ways possible, usually involving explosives or animal attacks.* RightHandHottie: The Groomer.* {{Ruritania}}* RussianNamingConvention: Explained and parodied in the "Russian Names" song.* ScreamsLikeALittleGirl: Blitz.* {{Sentai}}* ShippedInShackles: Muzzle, pretty much 24/7, except when he was needed.* SmallNameBigEgo: Blitz.* TheSmurfettePrinciple: Colleen.* StableTimeLoop* TheStarscream: Blitz to Hunter.* StockBritishPhrases: Colleen, far too frequently.* StockSuperpowers** EyeBeams: Exile and the Master (sort of).** SuperStrength: Exile.** SuperSpeed: Hunter.* ThemeTuneRollCall* TheRenaissanceAgeOfAnimation* TokenMinority: The small Latin-American boy. He was also blind, which was probably to make him even more endearing and helpless.** And the dogs themselves: Each from a different nation.* UpliftedAnimal: The main characters* WarForFunAndProfit* WhosOnFirst: Hunter and Blitz do a funny bit in an episode when Blitz sees enemies approaching and Hunter offers him a doggy treat:-->'''Hunter:''' Hey Blitz, you want a biscuit?-->'''Blitz:''' Tanks.-->'''Hunter:''' You're welcome.-->'''Blitz:''' No, tanks.-->'''Hunter:''' Are you sure? It's tasty. Try it.-->'''Blitz:''' Tanks!-->'''Hunter:''' You're welcome.-->'''Blitz:''' No, tanks!-->'''Hunter:''' What's with you? Do you want it or not?-->'''Blitz:''' TANKS!-->'''Hunter:''' You're welcome!-->'''Blitz:''' NO, TANKS!-->'''Hunter:''' WELL MAKE UP YOUR MIND!-->''(The enemy tanks bust in at that moment)''-->'''Hunter:''' ''(Giggles)'' Oh, ''tanks''. Now I get it. Funny.----